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Category: News
February 3, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Economy
News

Top US Steel Producer Backs Trump’s ‘America First’ Tariffs.

Nucor Corp., the largest steel producer in the United States, is supporting the tariffs imposed by President Donald J. Trump on China, Canada, and Mexico. “Nucor applauds the first steps taken by President Trump in his America First Trade Agenda,” said Leon J. Topalian, Nucor’s chairman, president, and CEO. We look forward to working with President Trump to enforce our trade laws and strengthen American manufacturing!”

Trump’s order, signed on Saturday, introduces tariffs through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, effective Tuesday. The order applies a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10 percent tariff on imports from China. However, a one-month delay has been agreed at the eleventh hour for the Mexico tariffs, as the Hispanic country negotiates with the Trump administration. Canadian energy imports will face a reduced 10 percent tariff.

President Trump is introducing the tariffs in response to threats stemming from illegal immigration and the trafficking of drugs, such as fentanyl, into the U.S. Trump wants America’s neighbors to take meaningful and decisive action against these cross-border threats on their end.

Topalian, appearing on CNBC, endorsed the upcoming tariffs, highlighting their potential to address a range of economic issues: “I think they’re going to be far-reaching, and I think they’re going to be very broad to, again, stop the illegal dumping, the manipulation, currency manipulation and subsidization of steels coming into the shores of the U.S.,” he said.

Image via Pexels.

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Nucor Corp., the largest steel producer in the United States, is supporting the tariffs imposed by President Donald J. Trump on China, Canada, and Mexico. "Nucor applauds the first steps taken by President Trump in his America First Trade Agenda," said Leon J. Topalian, Nucor's chairman, president, and CEO. We look forward to working with President Trump to enforce our trade laws and strengthen American manufacturing!" show more
February 3, 2025
Jack Montgomery
Immigration

NY Teen Murdered by Pakistani Relatives in So-Called ‘Honor Killing.’

A 14-year-old girl born and raised in New York has been brutally murdered by her Pakistani father and uncle in a so-called “honor killing” for the “crime” of posting videos on TikTok. Hira Anwar’s relatives brought her to Pakistan, supposedly on a family vacation, to carry out the killing, in a case that highlights ongoing issues with integrating migrants from countries with values radically at odds with the West.

Anwar, described as a typical, cheerful teenager when away from her strict home environment, was subjected to a draconian code of conduct by her parents, both of whom had immigrated from Pakistan to the U.S. two decades ago. Her murder took place in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, with her father confessing the crime to the Pakistani authorities.

This case is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of “honor killings” among the Pakistani community, both domestically and abroad. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the number of such killings stood at 588 reported last year, 490 in 2023, and 590 in 2022. However, it is likely many are not officially recorded.

Honor killings are also perpetrated by migrants from other Muslim-majority countries, and not only in the United States. For instance, Somali refugee Mohamedamin Abdirisek Ibrahim was charged with strangling his pregnant Swedish girlfriend to death with a lamp cord last year, as he did not want his parents to find out about their relationship.

Image by Susmanhamza.

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A 14-year-old girl born and raised in New York has been brutally murdered by her Pakistani father and uncle in a so-called "honor killing" for the "crime" of posting videos on TikTok. Hira Anwar's relatives brought her to Pakistan, supposedly on a family vacation, to carry out the killing, in a case that highlights ongoing issues with integrating migrants from countries with values radically at odds with the West. show more
February 3, 2025
News

VP Vance Clearly Explains How ‘DEI Regime’ Creates Danger in America’s Skies.

Vice President J.D. Vance has forcefully supported former President Donald J. Trump’s warning that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies contributed to a recent plane crash in Washington, D.C.

During an appearance on Fox News this weekend, Vance said that “DEI regime” policies have deterred capable white people from applying to become air traffic controllers.

“We have a massive shortage of air traffic controllers and, in fact, there have been a number of lawsuits from people who would like to become air traffic controllers against the Obama and Biden administrations, who basically said, ‘We were told not even to apply because of the color of our skin,’ because they were white people who wanted to be air traffic controllers, and under the DEI regime of the Biden administration, they weren’t welcome,” Vance explained.

Trump criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) diversity-obsessed hiring practices following the crash. In particular, he highlighted the FAA going out of its way to recruit employees with “severe intellectual disability” and “psychiatric disability,” alongside people with a range of physical ailments such as epilepsy and complete or partial paralysis.

The agency has been involved in a class-action lawsuit concerning its recruitment methods.

Vance says the “scandal” of discriminating against potential recruits based on their race “thankfully… has stopped under the leadership of President Trump.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Vice President J.D. Vance has forcefully supported former President Donald J. Trump's warning that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies contributed to a recent plane crash in Washington, D.C. show more
Microplastics Cancer
February 2, 2025
Health
News

Microplastics Linked to Higher Preterm Birth Risk, Scientists Warn.

U.S. researchers have found that micro- and nanoplastic particles are more concentrated in the placentae of infants born prematurely compared to those delivered at term. This conclusion comes from a study involving the analysis of 175 placentae, led by a team that includes maternal-fetal specialist Professor Kjersti Aagaard from Boston Children’s Hospital. The researchers investigated 100 placentae from term births and 75 from preterm births, the latter characterized by delivery prior to 37 weeks of gestation.

“This hints at the possibility that the accumulation of plastics could be contributing to the risk and occurrence of preterm birth,” Aagaard said in a statement.

The study utilized advanced mass spectrometry technology to quantify 12 types of plastic pollutants, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, present in the placenta samples. This technology provided a more precise measurement than previously possible, revealing higher plastic concentrations in preterm placentae. Levels detected were also greater compared to measurements in human blood reported in prior research.

Enrico Barrozo, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, expressed surprise at the findings, noting the unexpected nature of higher concentrations in preterm deliveries. The study proposes that plastic accumulation in the placenta might be linked to the risk of preterm birth, although the exact biological mechanism remains unknown. Aagaard highlighted that this could suggest plastic exposure plays a role in preterm birth by influencing inflammatory processes.

The study’s complete findings were disclosed at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting in Denver, Colorado. According to the research team, the study adds to prevailing concerns over the impact of ubiquitous plastic pollution on human health, including its association with conditions like heart disease and possibly stroke.

Image by Oregon State University.

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U.S. researchers have found that micro- and nanoplastic particles are more concentrated in the placentae of infants born prematurely compared to those delivered at term. This conclusion comes from a study involving the analysis of 175 placentae, led by a team that includes maternal-fetal specialist Professor Kjersti Aagaard from Boston Children's Hospital. The researchers investigated 100 placentae from term births and 75 from preterm births, the latter characterized by delivery prior to 37 weeks of gestation. show more
germany
February 2, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Immigration
World

Germany Votes AGAINST Stopping Illegal Immigration.

The German legislature has voted down a bill restricting illegal immigration to Western Europe’s largest economy, put forward in response to a spate of deadly terrorist attacks. The bill would have imposed more restrictions on illegal immigrants and on the ability of migrants already present in Germany to import their family members to join them from abroad.

The notionally center-right German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), formerly led by Angela Merkel, failed to pass the new immigration bill through the German parliament, by a vote of 350 to 338.

Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU and likely the next Chancellor of Germany after next month’s election, tried to pass the legislation with the help of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. However, resistance from left-wing parties meant the vote failed overall.

Earlier this week, the CDU passed a motion on immigration with the help of the AfD, leading to former party leader and arch-globalist Merkel slamming Merz for working with the populists. On Friday, January 31, offices of the CDU in Berlin were attacked by far-left Antifa extremists, calling the CDU party members “fascists” for daring to work with the AfD.

While the CDU and their sister party, the Bavarian Christian Social Democrats (CDU), are expected to come first in next month’s election, they are not expected to come close to an outright majority. The AfD, meanwhile, is projected to win second place, but a coalition between the two parties seems unlikely. Historically, the establishment CDU has proven more willing to ally with the currently governing Socialists, Greens, and others to shut the AfD out of government.

The failed vote on restricting immigration comes just weeks after a migrant from Africa murdered a CDU party member. Christoph Rosenschon, 26, was stabbed to death in his home.

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The German legislature has voted down a bill restricting illegal immigration to Western Europe's largest economy, put forward in response to a spate of deadly terrorist attacks. The bill would have imposed more restrictions on illegal immigrants and on the ability of migrants already present in Germany to import their family members to join them from abroad. show more
February 1, 2025
News

Chopper Pilot in D.C. Air Disaster is Ex-Biden White House Aide.

The U.S. Army has identified Capt. Rebecca Lobach, 28, as one of the casualties in the Black Hawk helicopter collision with an American Airlines aircraft near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred near Washington, D.C., is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Capt. Lobach, a former White House aide under the Biden government, served as an aviation officer from July 2019 until her death. She had received commendations including the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. Her family released a statement through the Army, remembering her as “kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong.”

Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Lobach joined the North Carolina Army National Guard in December 2018. She studied at Sewanee: The University of the South, playing for the basketball team, before earning a biology degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019. As a distinguished military graduate, she participated in the Simultaneous Membership Program, integrating Reserve Officers’ Training Corps activities with National Guard duties.

Lobach’s service also included time as a White House social aide. During this role, she notably accompanied Ralph Lauren during his visit for the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony.

The other soldiers involved in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, 39, and Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28. Their remains were partially recovered from the helicopter wreckage recently, according to law enforcement sources.

The helicopter, which departed from Fort Belvoir, was involved in training when the collision occurred, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He stated that such operations are part of standard military procedures, acknowledging that a mistake led to the tragic event. The investigation into the crash continues.

Picture credit: Samantha Brown

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The U.S. Army has identified Capt. Rebecca Lobach, 28, as one of the casualties in the Black Hawk helicopter collision with an American Airlines aircraft near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred near Washington, D.C., is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. show more
February 1, 2025
News

Scientists Warn Mile-Deep Underwater Volcano Could Erupt Off West Coast This Year.

Researchers who have been observing the Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano approximately 300 miles off Oregon‘s coast, for three decades believe an eruption is likely to occur in 2025. They cite a pattern of similar past activity as the reason an eruption is increasingly imminent.

“It seems to have this pretty repeatable pattern from one eruption to the next,” William Chadwick, a research associate at the University of Oregon, said in a recent interview. The scientists monitoring the deep sea volcano stress that an eruption poses no danger to humans and is distant enough to be unlikely to impact the coastal United States. Still, they note that it provides an opportunity to test equipment and theories that could be crucial in forecasting other more dangerous volcanic eruptions.

“If you were on a boat above the volcano, you wouldn’t know at all that it had erupted,” University of North Carolina at Wilmington geophysics professor Scott Nooner said.

The Axial Seamount is recognized as the most active submarine volcano in the northeast Pacific. Over the past 30 years, it has erupted three times, with a consistent pattern observed between eruptions. Recent monitoring reveals that the volcano has been inflating due to accumulating molten rock, a precursor noted in previous eruptions, leading scientists to expect another within the year.

Monitoring efforts include deploying instruments and cables extending from the shore, such as seismometers, to gather earthquake data around the volcano. According to Chadwick, this setup provides real-time insights around the clock, a rarity in volcanic observation.

Another expedition deployed the remotely operated vehicle Jason to the site in June 2024. The research objective is to improve long-term volcanic eruption predictions. Traditionally, forecasting eruptions beyond a short timeframe poses challenges, but as Chadwick highlighted, studying underwater volcanoes like Axial allows safer experimentation without risking public panic from false alarms.

Image by Oregon State University.

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Researchers who have been observing the Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano approximately 300 miles off Oregon's coast, for three decades believe an eruption is likely to occur in 2025. They cite a pattern of similar past activity as the reason an eruption is increasingly imminent. show more
February 1, 2025
Crime
News
UK

Migrant Doctoral Student Allegedly Raped 10 Women.

A Chinese doctoral student has been accused of drugging and raping at least ten women in the United Kingdom and China and faces a slew of charges. Zhenhao Zou, a 27-year-old Chinese PhD student, is standing trial at Inner London Crown Court.

Zou, who has lived in Britain since 2017, is also accused of voyeurism, possession of extreme pornographic content, false imprisonment, and drug-related offenses. He denies the 11 counts of rape along with the other charges.

During the trial, one alleged victim recounted her experience at Zou’s London residence in May 2023. She stated that while they drank wine together, Zou’s behavior turned unsettling, and he prevented her from leaving his flat.

She told police that when she insisted on leaving, Zou reportedly pulled her back into the flat, pressured her into consuming vodka, and subsequently raped her while she was unconscious.

Police found video footage of the alleged rape, captured on a camera Zou had positioned by his bed. The jury viewed the footage and saw photographs of the incident found in Zou’s possession. Throughout the trial, it has been suggested that Zou recorded nine of the alleged attacks.

Mass migration is an ongoing issue in the United Kingdom, where one in 12 people in the capital of London are estimated to be illegal immigrants.

Last year, a report revealed that incarceration rates for migrants from places like Albania, Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan were multiple times that of native Britons.

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A Chinese doctoral student has been accused of drugging and raping at least ten women in the United Kingdom and China and faces a slew of charges. Zhenhao Zou, a 27-year-old Chinese PhD student, is standing trial at Inner London Crown Court. show more
January 31, 2025
Election 2024
Media
News

Paramount Seeks Settlement in Trump’s $10B Lawsuit.

Paramount, owner of CBS, is looking to settle a $10 billion lawsuit from President Donald J. Trump over deceptive edits of an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris last year. The dispute centers on Trump’s complaints that a broadcast of an interview with Harris, his former electoral rival, was extensively and deceptively edited to make her look better.

The talks coincide with Paramount’s ongoing efforts to merge with Skydance Media, which is owned by Larry Ellison and managed by David Ellison. The proposed merger could face regulatory hurdles from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Trump’s lawsuit seeks $10 billion in damages, alleging “election interference” due to what he describes as “deceptively doctored” footage. The issue arose from a segment in a 60 Minutes interview for the 2024 election campaign last October.

A version aired on Face the Nation portrayed Harris differently than in the full interview, with a completely different answer to a particular question being aired. 60 Minutes defended the editing process, stating that their selection featured a longer excerpt of Harris’ response than the one shown in the main program. This is untrue, however, as the response aired by CBS was entirely different from the long, rambling answer in the first clip released by the company, which was also not included in the written transcript of the interview.

Attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik, who represents President Trump, argues that the edit was intended to confuse voters and portray Harris in a more favorable light.

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s majority shareholder, reportedly supports the settlement talks and could benefit financially from a sale of the company.

Image by Studio Sarah Lou.

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Paramount, owner of CBS, is looking to settle a $10 billion lawsuit from President Donald J. Trump over deceptive edits of an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris last year. The dispute centers on Trump's complaints that a broadcast of an interview with Harris, his former electoral rival, was extensively and deceptively edited to make her look better. show more
January 31, 2025
News

Federal Workers Advised on How to Seek Private Sector Employment as Trump’s Buyout Deadline Looms.

President Donald J. Trump‘s efforts to reduce the federal workforce, especially those working in nonproductive or redundant roles, are continuing apace. On Thursday night, at 8:30 PM, the Office of Personnel Management emailed federal government workers with a Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.) document outlining an earlier announcement from the Trump White House offering buyouts for those looking to leave public employment for the private sector.

The email emphasized that private sector roles typically offer higher levels of pay than federal employment and stressed that workers had until February 6 to determine if they wanted to accept the buyouts. According to the document, federal employees opting to resign could engage in a second job or travel while still receiving government pay for several months prior to their permanent departure.

The National Pulse previously reported that the Trump White House is especially focused on federal workers who are dodging an executive order reinstating in-office work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal workers were granted greater leeway regarding working from home and telework—with the Biden government extending these provisions well past the pandemic’s end. These policies, U.S. Senate investigators found, resulted in just six percent of the federal workforce actually working full-time and in person and left the average occupancy rate of a federal office building in Washington, D.C., at around 12 percent.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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President Donald J. Trump's efforts to reduce the federal workforce, especially those working in nonproductive or redundant roles, are continuing apace. On Thursday night, at 8:30 PM, the Office of Personnel Management emailed federal government workers with a Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.) document outlining an earlier announcement from the Trump White House offering buyouts for those looking to leave public employment for the private sector. show more